grim_fandangofandomcom-20200223-history
Carla
"Why is it all men are after the same thing...except you?" -Carla Carla is a resident of Rubacava who works as a security guard at the dock for the Olivia II airship. She appears to be romantically interested in Manny Calavera. She is seen only in Year 2. Background Due to her extensive "conversation" with Manny in the back room of the security station, Carla is one of the few Grim Fandango characters whose life is discussed in any detail. Carla's father was in the military, and as a result, she moved a lot as a child. She had a deaf dog named Mr. Ruffus when she was young, as well as a long-haired cat. She also mentions her grandmother's name was Hedwig. Carla admits to Manny that she was very shy growing up, and would run away when boys asked her out. She also apparently had a very strained relationship with her mother, who once told her that "a smile is the most important part of any outfit." Carla's tone in retelling her life's story then switches from nostalgic to angry, as she starts yelling to no one in particular: "Well, maybe I would have smiled more, Mom, if you hadn't drank so much!" She then begins to yell, chastising her mother for getting arrested and driving her father to leave the family, which makes the situation unbearably awkward for Manny. Carla laments that she isn't reunited with her family and bursts into tears. It is never mentioned how long Carla has spent in Rubacava. She works at the security desk for the boarding station of the Olivia 2, an occupation that obviously mirrors real-life airport security. She wears a blue cap and uniform, and also carries around a metal detector. She appears to have a romantic interest in Manny, and the two frequently flirt while talking. She used to hang out at Manny's club, but stopped coming as often because she finds Lupe's personality so irritating. She also hints that she's been involved with many men in her life/afterlife. When Manny says that he wants to talk to her now because he's leaving town before she goes off duty, she remarks that she's "fallen for that line too many times." Role in Year 2 When Manny asks to borrow Carla's metal detector, she says she will show it to him on her break, which begins at dawn. Manny, however, intends to leave town in a few hours. The back room in the security station is used to conduct strip searches, which Carla states she's only allowed to perform when a regular search turns up nothing and a person is still setting off the metal detector. The two agree that the back room would make a great place to sneak off to talk, but Carla mentions she has to follow the rules, whispering in a terrified voice that she never knows when her bosses are watching. Manny does not qualify for the search, since he doesn't set off the metal detector after he has taken all of his possessions out of his jacket. When Manny drinks the gold-flake liquor, he will set off the metal detectors even after all his entire inventory is taken from him. Thus, he and Carla slip into the back room. Carla begins to ramble, telling Manny her entire life's story, while Manny, of course, is only interested in the metal detector. Manny can comment on various parts of Carla's story at any time, but she completely ignores them all and obliviously continues to talk. Manny can interrupt Carla at any time and inquire about her metal detector, but if he waits until the story is over and Carla is sobbing, he can hear the entire monologue, which contains the information previously mentioned. If Manny admits he only came into the back room for the metal detector, she becomes enraged and throws it out the window into the giant kitty litter next to the cat stables. She disgustedly asks why "all men are after the same thing, except you?" and angrily complains that the only woman Manny seems to care about is Meche. She then storms out of the room, and for the rest of the game, is very angry at Manny, telling him to "drop dead!" when he leaves to go retrieve the metal detector. Carla comes into play once more, when Manny must open the cigarette case he stole from Nick Virago. He hands the case to Carla and leads her to believe that it's a bomb, and she promptly tosses it into the security station's new controlled detonation chamber and explodes it. The case is destroyed, and Manny is able to retrieve the key from inside it, while Carla proudly states she has prevented yet another act of senseless violence. Manny takes the key and promises to take it to Police Chief Bogen, to which Carla sarcastically replies: "Yeah, maybe you can analyze it with your metal detector." From then on, the player is largely unable to interact with Carla. When Manny tries talking to her, she tells him she's still mad at him. Additionally, if Manny walks through and sets off the main metal detector, Carla will calmly ask Manny to place his belongings on the security desk, before angrily adding: "and then jump out the damn window!" After Year 2 Carla is never seen or mentioned after Manny leaves Rubacava, and the security station, along with the entire cat racing track, is inaccessible when Manny returns in Year 4. Whether or not Carla eventually reaches the Ninth Underworld or stays in Rubacava is never mentioned. Quotes "Sir, if you will, please, place all of your belongings on the security desk." — To Manny when he walks through the metal detector Trivia In the original script for Grim Fandango written by Tim Schafer, Schafer describes the conversation between Manny and Carla and comments on the sexual tension throughout. This is followed by an emboldened disclaimer: 'A Note on Skeleton Sex: The official Grim Fandango policy is "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."' Category:Character Category:Females